The invention relates to a multi purpose soap bar that can be used for cleaning the human body and shampooing and conditioning the hair The term "conditioning" refers to a process to reduce chances of tangling or clumping of the hair after the hair has been washed, as well as providing the hair with nourishment.
In the past, the basic ingredient of soap was animal fat or tallow with wood ash based lye used in the saponification process. Ideally a bar of soap is of suitable hardness to maximize user cycles and resistance to water reabsorption when not in use, while at the same time providing sufficient lather to enhance the cleaning ability of the soap. Animal fat or tallow as the active ingredient in the soap making process will generally meet these user demands to a greater or lesser degree. Current soap production continues to rely heavily on animal fats in their products to meet consumer demand and production requirements. In addition, various synthetic compounds and mixtures of compounds have become very popular additions in modem soap making technology to improve soap quality and user satisfaction. However, animal fat and synthetic based soaps are generally resistant to the natural breakdown processes (i.e. biodegradability) and are thus relatively persistent in the environment.
In most cases soap is used solely for a single purpose, that is as a hygienic skin cleansing agent. Bar soap is generally unsuitable as a hair shampoo and/or conditioner as bar soap can leave an undesireable residue on the hair which is difficult to rinse out, generally provides insufficient cleaning of the hair and can leave hair difficult to manage and dried out particularly after repeated use.
Over the years attempts have been made to develop a hard soap bar having acceptable hair cleansing characteristics, primarily through the use of various synthetic components. One such soap bar is described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,012,341 (Orshitzer). The Orshitzer patent provides a asynthetic all detergent shampoo bar in which a mixture of an anionic and non-ionic detergent together with a fatty acid monoethanolamide, preferably the stearic acid, comprise the primary active ingredients. These ingredients are relatively non-biodegradable and, once used by consumers, will persist in the environment.
There is a need for a hard soap bar which:
1. is produced using readily biodegradable natural all vegetable oils and containing no animal products, manufactured chemicals or synthetic compounds PA0 2. provides a copious satisfying lather in a variety of water conditions PA0 3. leaves the skin soft and smooth and adequately cleansed; and PA0 4. possess necessary hair cleansing and hair conditioning qualities. PA0 1. If Hydrogenated Canola Oil is used for ingredient C, then Palm Oil will be used for ingredient E. PA0 2. If Hydrogenated palm oil is used for ingredient C, then Canola Oil will be used for ingredient E. PA0 3. If a mixture of Hydrogenated Canola Oil and Hydrogenated Palm Oil is used for ingredient C, then equal and opposite proportions of Palm Oil and Canola oil will be used for ingredient E.
Such a soap bar would permit use and transport of hair shampoo and conditioner in a solid form, obviating the need for separate liquid shampoo and the resultant problems associated with transporting liquid shampoo and disposing of liquid shampoo containers. Consumers can use the hard soap bar for both skin cleansing and for hair cleansing and conditioning.